Nurse Could Lose License For Changing Notes

August 2, 1995|By ALAN CHERRY Staff Writer

A former Coral Springs Medical Center nurse could lose her license and be fined as much as $1,000 for keeping two sets of notes regarding the treatment of 2-year-old Alexandra Silverman, who died at the hospital.

A complaint with the Florida Board of Nursing has been filed by the state Agency for Health Care Administration against the nurse, Deborah Hebert.

Hebert cared for the toddler, who was admitted to the hospital on Feb. 12 suffering from nausea and vomiting.

Alexandra's health worsened as Hebert watched over her the night the toddler was admitted. The girl later was placed on life support. She died on Feb. 15.

"If they prove her records are altered, they should revoke her license so that she never practices nursing again," Alexandra's mother, Janie Silverman, said on Tuesday.

An autopsy by Broward Medical Examiner Joshua Perper said a virus contributed to Alexandra's death. Perper also reported the sets of conflicting notes kept by Hebert.

Among discrepancies, Hebert's original notes said the girl was "lethargic" when checked at 5:30 a.m. on Feb. 13. She changed the notes to say "patient continues to sleep soundly," Perper reported.

The state this week publicly released the complaint against the nurse, which charges her with falsifying records. The complaint was filed on July 20.

"[Hebert) falsified patient records, adding and deleting information therein, and placed the original patient records in her personal locker," the state Agency for Health Care Aministration said in the complaint. The agency regulates health care in Florida.

Attorneys for the health agency have asked the nursing board to do one or more of the following: revoke Hebert's license, suspend her, impose a fine or issue a reprimand.

Hebert, a registered nurse, has 30 days to decide whether she wants a state hearing or to settle the complaint. She can get a formal hearing, in which an arbitrator hears the case and makes a recommendation to the board, or she can directly state her case to the board.

The nine members of the nursing board are appointed by the governor.

Hebert could not be reached for comment. Her Wellington telephone number is unlisted.

Alexandra's death triggered national attention after the girl's father called 911 from the hospital parking lot and complained about a 65-minute delay in the emergency room in getting help for his daughter.

As a result of Alexandra's death, The U.S. Health Care Financing Administration investigated Coral Springs Medical Center and determined the hospital did not follow a hospital policy requiring that each emergency room patient be seen within 15 minutes.

The hospital developed a plan to meet the policy, and the Health Care Financing Administration dropped the complaint. However, subsequent problems have been found by federal regulators, who have threatened to cut off the hospital's Medicare money.

The tax-supported hospital, which is run by the North Broward Hospital District, suspended Hebert for three days in June as a result of the Alexandra Silverman case.

"Debbie acknowledges the severity of her `poor judgment,'" the suspension letter said.